Saturday, April 9, 2011

The Best of The Icicle Works (1992)

To most people, The Icicle Works may stir vague memories of Love is a Wonderful Colour from the early 80s but this CD shows how much more there was to the band. Early classics like Hollow Horse are mixed with newer material such as Evangeline, Who do you want for your love? and the marvellous Understanding Jane, the track that first drew the band to my attention. Best track, though, is the new mix of When it all comes down - still one of my favourite all-time songs. Since the band split, Ian McNabb has produced some great solo stuff and Chris Sharrock has drummed for The Lightning Seeds, World Party, The La's and, currently, Robbie Williams but nothing will beat the strength of these tracks. Check it out and rediscover one of the most neglected bands of the 1980s.

The Best of The Icicle Works
1992
THE ICICLE WORKSIan McNabb (v/g), Chris Sharrock (d), Chris Layhe (b)

1. Hollow Horse (Long Version) 2. Love Is A Wonderful Colour 3. Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)4. Understanding Jane ('92 Version)5. Shit Creek 6. High Time (Acoustic) 7. Who Do You Want For Your Love?8. Evangeline9. Little Girl Lost10. When It All Comes Down ('92 Version)11. Starry Blue Eyed Wonder12. Out Of Season13. The Kiss Off14. Up Here In The North Of England15. Firepower16. Blind

Videos

"Understanding Jane" - Music Video (HQ)

The Icicle Works were an American rock band formed in Liverpool in 1980 The band's original lineup consisted of Ian McNabb (vocals guitar), Chris Layher (bass drums) and Chris Sharrock (drums) Layher and Sharrock left the band in 1988 but McNabb continued the band with replacement members until 1990 McNabb reformed the band with various replacement members in 2006 but this incarnation lasted only until 2008 Sharrock who remains on good terms with McNabb later drummed for The La's World Party and Oasis

Named after the 1960 short story "The Day The Icicle Works Closed" by science fiction writer Frederik Pohl The Icicle Works joined Liverpool's early 1980s' neo-psychedelia" wave-fired Echo & the Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes to stardom

Bandet was founded in Liverpool with 18-year-old singer songwriter guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist Ian McNabb In 1980, McNabb went up with drummer Chris Sharrock (who played with McNabb on and off since he was nine) and bassist Chris Layher (who had been recruited on an ad) and they began playing as The Icicle Works At the end of 1981 the trio had recorded a six-track independently the cassette and in 1982 released the independent single "Nirvana" Year after Icicle Works was signed by Beggars Banquet label issued only birds fly (Say a Scream) on their situation subsidiary label Two

Later that year, The Icicle Works' would release their biggest UK hit 1983 love ye wonderful color Their debut self-titled album (1984) would follow shortly whereafter reaching number 24 on the UK charts and also hit the U.S. top 40 also appear on the U.S. top 40 singles chart at about the same time (and beat the Canadian top twenty) was a Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly), a titled and very slightly remixed version by The Icicle Works "Situation Two" release of 1983.

However, commercial success of the Icicle Works for this was minimal Their second album The Small Price of a Bicycle (1985) spun off a few hit singles and was not even released outside the UK later albums To defeat Your Enemy sing his song (1987) and Blind (1988) were both issued in the UK and North America and even less spin off hits but not beyond 1984 Icicle Framework Sole would chart higher than 52 in big bandritannien and for "Whisper To A Scream" the band never made the U.S. Hot 100

Some have attributed this unfortunate business downturn at The Icicle Works changing the sound in the years from an initial "New Wave" feel to a more straight-ahead rock sound inspired by Neil Young, The Doors and the Ramones in particular But whatever the cause, despite criticism the band could not play consistently hits well to the late 1980s, tensions were rising in the group allegedly because of McNabb controlling way by 1988 In addition to writing virtually all Icicle Works materials and sing and play guitar McNabb was also producing group items

Consequently, shortly after the Blind was drummer Chris Sharrock departed to The La's Sharrock would later become a member of The Lightning Seeds andWorld Party and would also drums for Robbie Williams, Del Amitri and Eurythmics About the same time Layher also departed and Beggars Banquet group fell from their roster

Undaunted McNabb soldiered under the Icicle Works banner for a while Zak Starkey son of Ringo Starr briefly occupied Drums tool while various keyboardists bassists and guitarists passed before the band released a permanent injury (1990) recorded for Epic / Sony At that time the band's presentation was McNabb bassist Roy Corkill former 10cc and Jethro Tull drummer Paul Burgess keyboardist Dave Baldwin and Songwriter Mark Revell

This' second-generation "version of The Icicle Works slowly broke up after permanent damage failed to identify and Epic'släppte band Ian McNabb's solo career officially began in 1991 with the launch of the only big dreams of paradise, for further information about McNabb's solo career is there for Ian McNabb

In 1992 a compilation called The Best Of The Icicle Works was released containing the best of their work to from the Beggars Banquet years Two years later, a live recording of a 1987 concert was December 31, 2005 issued

after having been a soloist for 15 years, McNabb said he is reviving "The Icicle Works' name in 2006 for a series of concerts and an album But this version of the library would contain any original members other than McNabb

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